Tammy Johnson

An “F” for Racial Justice?

Back in the day, bringing home a bad report card meant playtime was over! ARC ally, Border Action is sending that same message with their Arizona Human Rights Scorecard: 2008 Legislative Report. The report calls out the Arizona state legislature on its attempt criminalize whole communities, deny them a voice in their own governance and targeting them for state-sanctioned harassment. The negative affects on immigrant and border communities, and even business are clearly illustrated in the Legislative Report. On the flip side, legislators who took a stand on behalf of the rights of these communities are also featured.

You can watch the release of this year’s report real time via our live- web cast. Go to: www.borderaction.org today August 26th, at 11 a.m. MST.

Border Action is a part of a growing national movement of groups who are developing racial equity report cards as a means of holding state legislators and governors accountable to communities of color. For four years the Applied Research Center has produced statewide Legislative Report Cards on Racial Equity in California and Illinois. And for the past two years ARC has collaborated with the Organizing Apprenticeship Project in Minnesota on their Report Card. The Report Cards have had an impact. They have “drawn fire” from legislators who have received lower grades, served as tools for educating the media, and influenced the passage of important legislation. ARC is working with groups from Connecticut to Nevada, and even Ontario, Canada on creating their own report cards. Find out more about this tool for racial justice at ARC national conference, Facing Race.

Posted at 11:40 PM, Aug 25, 2008 in Permalink | View Comments